Economists like to say that there's no such thing as a free lunch, and soon it may be harder to find a free college education.
Cooper Union, a well-regarded art, architecture, and engineering college in New York City that has not charged tuition for most of its history, announced Monday that, due to sustained budget pressures, it would consider a range of options, including charging tuition, to develop a sustainable funding model. The announcement has generated a flurry of angry responses from Cooper Union alumni, faculty, and students.